PS 3525 
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A7 
1919 
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BooL_JzlAiAX 
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The Shadowed Hour i 

"Sy John Erskine | 

First Offering 1 

<By Samuel Roth | 

THE LYRIC YEAR I 

19 17 1 

Edited by Samuel Roth 1 

Almost I 

By Martha B. Mosher f 

The Lyric 1 

^Monthly Magazine | 



qA 



LMOST 



by 

Martha B. Mosher 




LYRIC PUBLISHING COMPANY 

NEW YORK CITY 
MCMIX 






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COPYRIGHT, MARCH NINETEEN - NINETEEN 

by MARTHA B. MOSHER 



A559809 

APR -3 1919 



*wt 



To 
CHRISTINA HOWELL CHARLES 

My Friend 




CONTENTS 

MY HEART IS BRAVE ..."... 13 

STAR SONG 14 

LULLABY -... 15 

HAUNTED 17 

LOVE'S RECOMPENSE 18 

THE THOUSAND ISLANDS 19 

LIFE'S ULTIMATE 20 

EARTH WISDOM 21 

O YE OF LITTLE FAITH 22 

IN MEMORY 23 

LOVE'S PARADOX 24 

EARTH CALL 25 

GARDENIA FLORIDA 26 

COLUMBIA'S SONS 27 

GOD'S SERVICE FLAG 29 

WAKE 30 

THE SNOW 31 



GOOD CHEER TO MY COMRADES ... 32 

THE ST. LAWRENCE RIVER 33 

THE GIFT BEARERS 34 

LOVE'S BURIAL 35 

UNDER THE SWORD ....... 36 

THE SEA SPEAKS 37 

EVENING REVELRY AT THOUSAND ISLANDS . 38 

SORCERY 39 

LOVE'S DESOLATION 40 

VISION 41 

A LOVER'S SOLILOQUY 42 

MY ULTIMATE SELF 43 

MY LOVE 44 



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MY HEART IS BRAVE 

My heart is brave for all things save for this: 

That you should be the wind 
And I be not the lyre whose strings it sweeps ; 

That I should be the night 
And you be not the dream that thrills my sleep, 

My heart is brave for all things save for this. 

My heart is brave for all things save for this: 

That you have list'ning ears 
And my tongue be too dumb to whisper you ; 

That I should be the sea 
And you the rock it breaks on futilely 

My heart is brave for all things save for this. 

My heart is brave for all things save for this: 

That you should be the sun 
And I the sands that cannot bear you life. 

That life should keep you late 
While I stand waiting at the Entrance Gate ; 

My brave heart swoons and sinks at fate like this. 

13 



STAR SONG 

I roamed along with water and sky 
For I with the night was passing by. 

And gazing intent at the blue roof above 
I saw from the stars fall a shower of love. 

Then I knew that every suffering soul 

Might have opened his heart and had it made whole 

But each held a canopy over his head 

That ever the fall of that love-rain had shed. 

The melody sweet that might quicken each heart 
Was lost — and could not its message impart. 

I. cried, 'Friends we need this song for our pain, 
O, shield not our heads from beneficent rain; 

Let us open our hearts — each one to the other, 
And join in the star-song for ever, O brother!' 



LULLABY 

My dream of thee, my open arms 
Coaxed thee down from the stars, 
From God thy home thou earnest down 
Past all the earthly bars. 

Enfolding thy dear baby form 

I hug thee to my breast, 

Thine own snug place to nestle warm 

And dream and rest — and rest — 

So close your tired . . . little eyes 
And may they never weep. 
Hush . . . every one tread quietly 
Our darling ... is asleep . . . 

The Angels now will guide thee back 
To gates of golden light 
While mother's hand is not close by 
To lead thee thru the night. 

So I will spare thee for an hour 
To play with Twinkling things 
That call thee little sister still 
Tho' thou hast lost thy wings. 

Thou' It ride safe in their pretty boat 
We call the crescent moon, 

15 



And sing with them to Jesu dear 
Thy very sweetest tune. 

But play not with St. Michael's sword 
Nor touch Queen Mary's crown ; 
Remember too, that mother here 
Awaits thy coming down. 



HAUNTED 

Why can I not escape you 
Why are you ever there? 
At every turn you seek me, 
Out in the open air, 
Within my lamplit chamber, 
As I descend the stair, 
At night when I am dreaming, 
I meet you everywhere. 

And if you must pursue me, 
Why will you never stay ? 
When I reach out to touch you 
You slowly melt away — 
Can it be I who trail you 
And will not let you stray 
Beyond my shadows' beckon 
Before I bar the way? 

If I might feel your warm breath, 

See you unfettered move, 

Could learn what 'tis that haunts me, 

If it be gh^t or love! 

If love, ti i haste to dower me 

With all delight thereof; 

With our fire braid a love-rope 

By which to climb above. 



LOVE'S RECOMPENSE 

Where are the many melodies 
My little lute once played to me? 
Today it sweeps to me but one; 
That one contents — it is of thee. 

Where are the many empty dreams 
That hitherto my thoughts did throng? 
Thou'st filled them all with thy dear self 
So full that they complete my song. 



THE THOUSAND ISLANDS 

In silent and timorous beauty 
They slumber, as green as verditer, 
These Islands that time cannot sever 
Nor sister love draw close together. 

Are these the haunts of the siren 
That stand so unsocial and steady, 
Whose babes not even are ready 
To gambol betimes in an eddy? 

The great deep silence broods in them 
The pine tree branches are not gay, 
Arachne's delicate webs here sway 
And make small ballrooms for a fay. 

Isles of Beauty, Isles of Rest 

1 greet you with this solemn prayer — 
That some day I may be co-heir. 

To the sacredness which now you wear. 



LIFE'S ULTIMATE 

The Ultimate of silence is 

With eloquence the heart to swell ; 

The Ultimate of endless speech 

Is impotence to tell ; 

The Ultimate of luxury 

The luxury would be 

To have a single crumb of you 

To make an Epicure of me. 

The Ultimate of knowledge 

To fling life's problems back, 

The Ultimate of daylight 

Is that night's wings are black. 

The Ultimate of solitude 

In time and space and sea 

Is the Soul retreated to Itself 

In its Infinity! 



EARTH WISDOM 

The purest stream has still a muddy bed ! 

A dreamer stopping at a riverhead 

Sat gazing long into the crystal stream ; 

Would that its beauty might content his dream ! 

But he would slake his thirst in waters fair, 
And then his passion waxes bold to dare 
The pool-reflected image to desire 
That this Narcissus greatly did admire. 

Impulsively he plunges to the quest . . . 
But lo! there jets from the erst virgin breast 
A heavy mire . . . The limpid stream has soiled 
The image sought. — His eager leap is foiled! 

A clouded faith will ever cast a shade. 
The sage who always dwells in happy glade 
Is he who holds to his illusion fast ! 
Or, cherishing no dream, receives no blast ! 



"OH, YE OF LITTLE FAITH!" 

"Ye think My heart is numb, My ears are deaf; 
That I view silently in cold disdain, 
My children die; limb torn from limb: my hosts, 
Brave hosts, thus cruelly slain ? 

Tho' in My world live slaves who still believe 
That they must bow their heads to crown and rod 
Of greedy governments that crush them down, 
I still exist — their God. 

But when the world is free of tyranny, 
And when the fear is laid that through the years 
Man's liberty will perish from the globe, 
Then shall I dry your tears. 

For what appears destruction is My way 
Of freeing earth from greater evil still ; 
Then know that past your insight there are gleams 
That My dreams shall fulfill. 

Now let your groans and your distress subside, 
And your full faith in Me shine through your tears ; 
New courage, nobler vision, will survive 
Beyond the haze of years." 



IN MEMORY 

Your legioned friends are sorrowing at the phrase 
For all too soon you poured out life's bright wine, 

And we must mourn you on thru countless days — 
So to your gentle soul I build this shrine. 

Your saintly face will ever shine upon us, 
A star to lead us to the court of God, 

Your kindly spirit always so desirous 
To bless and better every path you trod. 

Dear friend, so leal to Friendship's deepest meaning, 
Your life was selfless, high and pure and true; 

So we, our eyes with sorrows' veil enshrouding 

Say "Sleep, Farewell — and know that we love you. 



LOVE'S PARADOX 

Until you came into my life 

I was a being, I was I, 

Now you are my identity ; 

My soul so full of peace and poise 

Knows only din, is drenched in noise. 

Until you came into my life 
I was as free as bird of care, 
Now I have earth and sky to bear : 
I who have been both rich and great 
I stand a beggar at your gate. 

Until you came into my life 
It often craved a solitude 
Which it has now in plentitude. 
Tho' you have nothing given me 
My heart beats loud in memory. 



EARTH CALL 

I have floated, I think, in dreams too long, 
My soul has grown lonely in far-away song; 
Once again I would touch the plant and the tree, 
Let the hills and the brook come play with me. 

My eyes cannot always to star-shine cling, 
My thoughts would be green with the leaves of spring, 
My blood calls for boulders and wild March days 
To calm it down from the mad moon's rays. 

The birds and the hedge and a breath of toil 
Are the sights that will still my heart's turmoil, 
For I have floated in dreams too long 
My soul must renew with a human song. 



GARDENIA FLORIDA 

A youth and maiden passed by me last night, 
Their hearts and voices singing loud with glee, 
But when I shook my perfume over them, 
They kissed and trembled in love's mystery. 
I know not whence they came, nor whither bent, 
But they have lived and will remember me. 

Then one came by who had forgot his God, 
Whose acts had long disturbed his soul's content; 
The very sweetest odors of my heart 
I spilled on his, till it, by memory rent 
Cried 'mother' — to one waiting his return. 
Tho' short-lived I awaken souls with scent. 



COLUMBIA'S SONS 

A trumpet blew and our youths' eyes 

Were straining toward foreign skies ! 

They did not shirk to pay the price 

Oppression asked in sacrifice. 

They braved pain, hunger and despair 

That all of earth might be the heir 

Of life, of love, of liberty — 

That all the fettered might be free. 

They've swung wide every dungeon door 

And helped the brave to win the war. 

Chorus 

A bugle broke our country's mood 

And Freedom surged in her blood. 

To arms — to arms — the world had utmost need ! 

'To arms' they cried, that spawn of mighty seed! 

Columbia's Sons of many lands 

Rose loyal to her high commands. 

One earnest aim filled all her men, 

To crush the tyrant in his den. 

Their task was scarce begun before 'twas done. 

Thy clarion Lord, called them again 
They were thy hosts — thou leadest men 
Who died for dreams; 'twas a new world 
For which their banners were unfurled. 



The Kaiser was a man of straw 
Against the blades that they did draw. 
Their spirit made his cause forlorn 
Before the day that he was born. 
The old flag billows ! Eyes now gaze 
On the land they saved — to peaceful days. 



GOD'S SERVICE FLAG 

The sky is full of stars tonight 
And every one so rarely bright; 
It is God's Service Flag that shows 
A star for every man who goes 
In answer to the human call 
To which he sacrifices all, 
Whose heart divine has understood 
The passionate plea for brotherhood. 
God HIS Sword in his hand has thrust; 
He grips it firmly — since he must — 
To kill the false, till Love is Lord, 
To strike the fist so heavely mailed 
It cannot feel the pulse assailed. 
Those stars of strength in heaven's zone 
That shine for righteousness alone 
Will stand thru evil days and good 
For Liberty and Brotherhood. 



WAKE 

The stage eternal each day set for us 
Lures me thru casement eyes to view the sun 
As he with golden fingers, out of night, 
Uplifts the earth's dark curtains, one by one. 
From scenes that lie before me still and strange. 
He strikes the gloom, and scatters it to crest 
Of hills in golden fume. From his low range 
The slow light filters thru the trees and streams, 
And all the porticoes of morning throng 
With birds that wait to carol forth their song. 

These many tribed creatures, downy soft, 

Trill forth unfathomed sweetness from each throat, 

From some the epic, some the joy of life 

Wells forth in anguished or in chirping note. 

The mountains in their movements ever change 

As their new heads and breasts come into view, 

And their gaunt monster knees in parts show thru. 

Between cloud-shrines the high priest mounts his path 

And sees the heart of man still seek to fit 

His finite yearning to the infinite ! 



THE SNOW 

Down from the brooding silence of grey skies 
It floats and wavers, trembles to the ground ; 
Tho' whirling with live motion in descent 
Its fall makes, like the panther's tread, no sound. 

The earth that gives glad welcome to the rain 
Scowls only on this uninvited guest, 
Will not throw open doors to bid it in, 
Ungracious, tho it comes as virgin dressed. 

Exhausted by their long flight from the clouds 
The wandering flakes, at last, lie dead and still, 
And feel no further impulse till the wind 
Hurls them in heavy drifts by force and will 

Its softness smoothes sharp angles from the rocks, 
In air it spins fine lace work for the trees; 
Then spreads itself a shiny bridal veil 
The angry earth with beauty to appease. 

The heaped-up drifts invite the burning heart 
To cool itself within their virgin folds, 
Its silence, soothes all bitterness of thought 
And earth, inspired, receives the guest she holds. 



GOOD CHEER TO MY COMRADES 

Say that I died with one regret 
That when the Allies' Cabinet 
Has at the Victors' Council met, 
I cannot clasp your hands 

Say if my bullets that remained 

May speed on with my heart's blood stained, 
E'en tho my hands in death be chained, 
They still will clasp your hands. 

Say that tho fate o'ertook me — yet 
The glorious risk I'll not forget; 
You who to the end with wrongs still whet 
Your swords — then clasp my hands. 

Say that the dead have more prevailed 
Than they who have not fought and failed ; 
My soldier soul, with hearts that quailed, 
Cannot give clasp of hands. 



THE ST. LAWRENCE RIVER 

Great River, still as any frozen sea 

I saw thee mid thy moonlit isles at rest, 

Encircled of their arms, at peace and blest. 

Inconstant stream, with springs unsealed and free, 

Unconscious of thy true sublimity, 

I then beheld thee opening up thy breast 

And throbbing forth thy soul with eager zest 

To meet the far off ocean calling thee. 

At that great voice thy spirit knew its goal 
To mingle thy deep waters with its own, 
Forsaking beauteous isles for fate unknown : 
So may my course like thine not turn aside, 
But ever with such single purpose glide 
Till seas celestial overflow my soul. 



THE GIFT BEARERS 

The seas were cleft to bring her to these shores, 
The waves rolled proudly in with Liberty ; 
From east to west they surged, for her domain 
Must here be set, safe everlastingly. 
And now their sons sail back across the main 
Out from the west, with stars and stripes in hand 
To bear this gift of Liberty again 
To all who suffer in the eastern land. 

They set the world away, give up the age 
Of work and joy : their strong hearts, still unspent 
Are offered now as shields to the oppressed 
Knowing that death may be their monument. 
May this great gift now borne across the sea 
Crown them who give with immortality. 



LOVE'S BURIAL 

Oh Heart bereft, thou nevermore wilt see 

Her image dear ; nor will thy footsteps beat 

An echo following her heart and feet. 

Now will life's hill be steep and chill for me. 

And 'ere thy speech be still, what word from thee, 

My soul, would'st urge? — thou ever still replete 

With utterance that is no longer meet 

That thou should'st feel? Would'st speak thy agony! 

Must bury, Heart, thy love without delay; 
No memory of her mayest thou retain, 
Not e'en an afterglow of long set days, 
Nor echoes of the music passed away ; 
No recognition may'st thou henceforth trace ; 
Thy hope will, aye, renascence seek in vain. 



UNDER THE SWORD 

Didst Thou, O Christ, from death arise again? 

Or, liest Thou yet in thy dim sepulchre 

Where Mary brought Thee balm and spice and myrrh, 

Or was Thy resurrection all in vain? 

Dost Thou not hear these bitter cries of pain? 

How long must we endure this massacre? 

Art Thou no longer, Lord, earth's Arbiter, 

That Thou canst calmly see this Terror reign? 

Descend, great Son of God, and lift our gloom; 

Bring back the stars into our sable night, 

Let tyrants from their cursed thrones be hurled : 

So may we know that Thou didst quit Thy tomb. — 

O God, omnipotent! declare Thy might, 

Lest faith depart, and demons rule the world. 



THE SEA SPEAKS 

Earth, hast thou no longer space to hold 
The creatures whom the Lord assigned to thee ? 

1 thought he gave the fishes unto me 
And human beings were not of my fold. 
Ill chance alone to my embrace had rolled 
Some victims. But the new world deity, 
The lord of Rightfulness, with blasphemy 
Has strewn my bed with numbers yet untold. 

With every rise and fall of my full heart, 

With every long roll of my billows deep 

I'll mourn these victims thru their last long sleep. 

From tyranny to wrest me was their part, 

They came as champions of democracy, 

And gave their all to set their nations free. 



EVENING REVELRY AT THOUSAND ISLANDS 

Across the rippling miles this river flows, 
Across the baby isles that intervene, 
Whose rocky beds lift coronals of green, 
Above earth's edge, the gleaming wine press shows 
Emerging from pale clouds at daylight's close. 
Now as he fills his press with grapes divine 
The peasant-sun here tramples out the wine 
And spills it on each cloud-fleece till it glows. 

The purple must drips from the west, and dyes 

A waterpath incarnadine and gold. 

The rustic revel fades before my eyes ; 

I homeward turn, as evening shadows fold 

About the land, while in the twilight spell 

The last departing peasant waves farewell. 



SORCERY 

I am again in love with life thru thee ! 
But yesterday my sails were closely furled ; 
Grey rain, and not a breath in all the world; 
The stars were gone, no moon beamed on my sea, 
I knew no port where one awaited me. 
Now what is life but death when no fierce flame 
In any heart responds unto your name? 
What value then had immortality ? 

Today's the noontide of my spirit's hour, 
The great winds of the world tear at my ropes 
Since I from out a wandering flame caught you 
To fill my breast with love's own gladdening power; 
The ribbon rainbow carries me my hopes 
The roof of our abode shows only blue. 



LOVE'S DESOLATION 

With brightness, Love, you might have filled my way, 

And with your glory have beset my road ; 

I bade you take my heart for your abode, 

But from it you did turn your eyes away, 

And to my joy-defrauded spirit say 

No word of solace. Hope that warmly glowed 

Lies breathless. Only memories you've bestowed 

Of lost desire that nothing can allay. 

A dream was woven in my yearning heart 
Of things beyond all dreams. It called my soul 
To you as new born promise, new sought goal. 
But you would in my vision have no part . . . 
I am lone actor in my dream. You've shown 
My goal was a mirage. I am Alone. 



VISION 

Great knowledge may be mine ; well may I know 
The process of the tide-controlling moon, 
May understand the laws of nature's rune ; 
But if at view of flower or star, no glow 
Within my breast can quicken my blood's flow, 
If I am dead of soul, or dim or sight 
To beauty's flash, then have I reached black night, 
Have lingered here too long and well may go. 

For if my sight no vision with it bears, 
And I nod on in witless apathy, 
Then is the travail of this life for nought ; 
But if earth's splendor in my soul has wrought, 
And if my wisdom my emotion shares, 
Then am I part of all life's ecstacy. 



A LOVER'S SOLILOQUY 

Since at her heart so often you have sought 
Access, my soul, why will you never see 
The gates are barred against you mightily 
And this desire of yours you have not fought 
Against, with sinews knit and stoutly wrought. 
So weak is your poor will, from vine on tree 
The tendrils frail could draw you helplessly 
To her. Tis clutching at hope's hem has brought 

You this poor meed. So wilful still your heart ! 

Your fingers will not quit the shattered lute 

Altho its music is for you now mute. 

Your melody is locked in you for aye, 

The chords are still with full lays strung, O Heart, 

And to the end their cadences will play. 



MY ULTIMATE SELF 

This other One who rules my life within 
Holds me from evil way, my moods uncouth 
Translates to lasting universal truth. 
Rejoicing in my strength, hurt with my sin 
He fans the spark that holds my purpose kin 
To that of the most distant orb ; or soothes 
My life's turmoil ; or from my spirit smoothes 
The frown with thoughts that overlook the din. 

This Sovereign Self is like unto the moon 
That drags the tides of this unruly me 
Wherefrom and whither she herself elects, 
While in control she holds great waves that soon 
Or late break epochs in the soul. Thus he, 
My Other Self, keeps vigil and directs. 



MY LOVE 

To speak your name my love, brings peace 
Unto my soul. Not e'en that precious name 
Can all the tenderness of my love frame, 
It over flows all measure. Should "my love" cease 
To sound its blessed meaning — seek release 
From grants of further largess, I'll not blame; 
In loneliness I'll cherish it the same. 
The magic spell can never know decrease. 

In you is now fulfilled my noblest dream 

That had its birth in the Supreme above. 

And since my thoughts have now no place to play 

Because you took from me my dreams away, 

Pray pledge yourself to leave me still my theme 

And give me aye possession of my Love. 



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